The following description of the background of the present technology is provided simply as an aid in understanding the present technology and is not admitted to describe or constitute prior art to the present technology.
Autoimmune diabetes, e.g., Type 1 diabetes (T1D), is a form of diabetes in which the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin producing β-cells of the pancreas. The resulting lack of insulin leads to increased levels of glucose in the blood and urine of patients, which contributes to a number of serious long term complications including heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, neuropathy, skin ulcers, and blindness (Diabetes Care (2013) 36, 1033-1044). The global prevalence of diabetes is estimated to be roughly 9% among adults over 18 years of age, and is expected to rise to 10% of the worldwide adult population by 2030 (Diabetes Voice, Global Perspective on Diabetes, 2011). In the United States, more than 15,000 children and 15,000 adults are diagnosed with Type I diabetes each year. It has been estimated that T1D accounts for nearly 9% of the economic burden of diagnosed diabetes including Type 1 and Type 2 in the United States (Dall, T. M. et al, Popul Health Manag (2009) 12, 103-110), or approximately $20 billion per year in direct medical and indirect costs (Diabetes Care 36 (2013), 1033-1044).
Current treatment fails to normalize blood glucose levels, leading to a host of diabetic complications. Therefore, there is a need for more cost effective and less burdensome treatment options for this disease.